Patents by Inventor Yoshihiro Akasaka

Yoshihiro Akasaka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090148739
    Abstract: A direct methanol fuel cell includes a cathode catalyst layer; an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer; a first fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has pores; a second fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has larger pores than the those of the first fuel control layer; a third fuel control layer that is water-repellent and conductive and that has smaller porous than those of the first fuel control layer and those of the second fuel control layer; and an anode GDL layer that is water-repellent and conductive, wherein the membrane and the layers above are arranged in the above order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Akasaka, Masato Akita, Ryosuke Yagi, Hiroyasu Sumino, Kazuhiro Yasuda, Taishi Fukazawa
  • Publication number: 20090130380
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Patent number: 7517466
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Publication number: 20080233444
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a mixing tank storing a fuel solution; a power generator comprising a membrane electrode assembly having an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, generating power by reaction of the fuel solution with air; a fuel circulation unit circulating the fuel solution to the anode electrode; an air supply unit supplying air to the cathode electrode; and an air supply mechanism supply air to the anode electrode so as to discharge the fuel solution from the inside of the anode electrode to the mixing tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Ryosuke Yagi, Yuusuke Sato, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Masato Akita
  • Patent number: 7153604
    Abstract: A liquid fuel cell device includes a liquid fuel cell body with a fuel electrode, an oxidizer electrode and an electrolyte layer between the electrodes, and a liquid fuel supply system supplying a liquid fuel to the fuel electrode. The fuel supply system includes a first tank configured to contain a concentration-adjusted liquid fuel and supply the concentration-adjusted liquid fuel to the fuel electrode, and a second tank configured to contain a high-concentration liquid fuel and supply the high-concentration liquid fuel to the first tank. The first tank includes an internal liquid transfer device configured to transfer the concentration-adjusted liquid fuel to the fuel electrode. The cell device further includes an external driving device provided outside the first tank and configured to drive the internal liquid transfer device. The external driving device is physically separated from the internal liquid transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Akasaka, Hideyuki Ohzu, Wu Mei
  • Publication number: 20060231525
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Publication number: 20060204832
    Abstract: A cathode includes a diffusion layer, and a porous catalyst layer provided on the diffusion layer. The porous catalyst layer has a thickness not greater than 60 ?m, a porosity of 30 to 70% and a pore diameter distribution including a peak in a range of 20 to 200 nm of a pore diameter. A volume of pores having a diameter of 20 to 200 nm is not less than 50% of a pore volume of the porous catalyst layer. The porous catalyst layer contains a supported catalyst comprising 10 to 30% by weight of a fibrous supported catalyst and 70 to 90% by weight of a granular supported catalyst. The fibrous supported catalyst includes a carbon nanofiber having a herringbone structure or a platelet structure. The granular supported catalyst includes a carbon black having 200 to 600 mL/100 g of a dibutyl phthalate (DBP) absorption value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Wu Mei, Miho Maruyama, Jun Tamura, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yoshihiko Nakano
  • Patent number: 7097781
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc?No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Patent number: 7090784
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc-No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Publication number: 20050238948
    Abstract: An anode for liquid fuel cell includes a current collector and a catalyst layer, in which the catalyst layer has a porosity in a range of 20 to 65%, and a volume of pores of which diameter ranges from 50 to 800 nm is 30% or more of a pore volume of the catalyst layer, the catalyst layer has a pore diameter distribution having a peak in a range of 100 to 800 nm, and the catalyst layer comprises fibrous supported catalysts and granular supported catalysts, the fibrous supported catalysts contain carbon nanofibers having a herringbone or platelet structure, and catalyst particles carried on the carbon nanofibers, and the granular supported catalysts contain carbon black particles and catalyst particles carried on the carbon black particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Inventors: Wu Mei, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Maki Yonetsu, Yoshihiko Nakano, Hideyuki Ohzu
  • Publication number: 20040121214
    Abstract: A liquid fuel cell device includes a liquid fuel cell body including a fuel electrode, an oxidizer electrode and an electrolyte layer between the fuel and oxidizer electrodes, and a liquid fuel supply system supplying a liquid fuel to the fuel electrode. The fuel supply system includes a first tank configured to contain a concentration-adjusted liquid fuel and supply the concentration-adjusted liquid fuel to the fuel electrode, and a second tank configured to contain a high-concentration liquid fuel and supply the high-concentration liquid fuel to the first tank. The first tank includes a first internal liquid transfer device configured to transfer the concentration-adjusted liquid fuel to the fuel electrode. The cell device further includes a first external driving device provided outside the first tank and configured to drive the first internal liquid transfer device. The first external driving device is physically separated from the first internal liquid transfer device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Akasaka, Hideyuki Ohzu, Wu Mei
  • Publication number: 20040050816
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc−No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Publication number: 20030222048
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc−No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Patent number: 6565763
    Abstract: A pattern forming material contains a block copolymer or graft copolymer and forms a structure having micro polymer phases, in which, with respect to at least two polymer chains among polymer chains constituting the block copolymer or graft copolymer, the ratio between N/(Nc−No) values of monomer units constituting respective polymer chains is 1.4 or more, where N represents total number of atoms in the monomer unit, Nc represents the number of carbon atoms in the monomer unit, No represents the number of oxygen atoms in the monomer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koji Asakawa, Toshiro Hiraoka, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Yasuyuki Hotta
  • Patent number: 6447941
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel cell in the form of stacked unit cells each having a power generating section composed of a fuel electrode, an oxidant electrode, and an electrolyte plate held therebetween, which are placed on top of the other. In this fuel cell, a liquid fuel is introduced into each unit cell by the capillary action and evaporated in each unit cell in a fuel evaporating portion, so that the fuel electrode is supplied with the evaporated fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norihiro Tomimatsu, Hideyuki Ohzu, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Kazuhiro Yasuda, Masahiro Takashita
  • Patent number: 6416898
    Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cell in which humidification control for maintaining adequate moisture in electrolyte membranes can be simplified. The fuel cell according to the invention is provided with a unit cell comprising a laminate of a plurality of power generation sections, each power generation section comprising a fuel electrode (anode), an oxidant electrode(cathode) and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode(cathode), wherein the electrolyte membrane consists of a laminate comprising a film made of a proton-conducting organic compound, and a film made of a proton-conducting inorganic glass provided at least on the surface of the film of the proton-conducting organic compound facing the fuel electrode(anode).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ohzu, Norihiro Tomimatsu, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Kazuhiro Yasuda, Masahiro Takashita
  • Patent number: 6306535
    Abstract: A binder layer is formed on a surface of ceramic powder. This ceramic powder is formed into a sheet to form a sheet for an electrolyte plate of a molten carbonate fuel cell, to which a carbonate electrolyte is impregnated, thereby an electrolyte plate is constituted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norihiro Tomimatsu, Hideyuki Ohzu, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Kazuaki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 6271172
    Abstract: The carbon dioxide gas absorbent of the present invention exhibits a high carbon dioxide gas absorption performance from an initial stage of the use. The carbon dioxide gas absorbent comprises of primary particles each containing lithium zirconia serving as a matrix, and eutectic compound molecules each containing lithium carbonate and at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals excluding lithium, and alkali earth metals, which are dispersed in the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ohashi, Kazuaki Nakagawa, Hideyuki Ohzu, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Norihiro Tomimatsu
  • Publication number: 20010001782
    Abstract: The carbon dioxide gas absorbent of the present invention exhibits a high carbon dioxide gas absorption performance from an initial stage of the use. The carbon dioxide gas absorbent comprises of primary particles each containing lithium zirconia serving as a matrix, and eutectic compound molecules each containing lithium carbonate and at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals excluding lithium, and alkali earth metals, which are dispersed in the matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Publication date: May 24, 2001
    Applicant: Toshiyuki Ohashi
    Inventors: TOSHIYUKI OHASHI, KAZUAKI NAKAGAWA, HIDEYUKI OHZU, YOSHIHIRO AKASAKA, NORIHIRO TOMIMATSU
  • Patent number: 6037076
    Abstract: A molten carbonate fuel cell comprises a fuel electrode, an oxidizing agent electrode, and an electrolyte body prepared by impregnating a porous body including a retaining material and a reinforcing material with an electrolyte containing an alkali carbonate. The retaining material consists essentially of .alpha.-lithium aluminate (.alpha.-LiAlO.sub.2) having at most 0.60.degree. of a half value width of (104) peak in an X-ray powder diffractometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norihiro Tomimatsu, Hideyuki Ohzu, Yoshihiro Akasaka, Kazuaki Nakagawa